Harmony Bakery - Cafe - Restaurant & Karma Kitchen Marrakech.
The Harmonious Fusion of Flavors and Cultures
Above: Harmony (Karma Kitchen Marrakech) Location Now.
Above: Harmony (Karma Kitchen) after renovation
Gregory Kennedy, creator of the HARMONY (& Karma Kitchen Marrakech) concept, served at the original Karma Kitchen in Berkeley.
He is a former Silicon Valley Engineer, award-winning filmmaker, and passionate cook. He has worked alongside Nobel Peace Prize winners, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, and National Geographic Chimpanzee Hero Dr. Jane Goodall in Uganda, Tanzania, and Austria.
His deep-rooted passion for cultural understanding, sustainability, and culinary arts was kindled in his family kitchen and nurtured through cooking and travel experiences across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the USA. His late gourmet cook mother taught him everything from provincial French cuisine and American Soul Food to Charlie Trotter’s 10-course dégustations.
Mom (Valerie) & Gregory - Ben & Jerry's Haight Ashbury - San Fran
Gregory’s guiding culinary hero, besides his mom, was the late Charlie Trotter — who studied under Frédy Girardet, considered by the world’s best chefs to be the finest chef of his generation. What Charlie stressed above all: you do not have to be rich or use 50-year-old Balsamico Traditionelle to prepare affordable gourmet food using local ingredients.
Above: Harmony (Karma Kitchen Marrakech) after Renovation.
Prior to his death, Charlie launched affordable gourmet initiatives in Chicago, offering fresh, high-quality food at Cheesecake Factory-level prices. HARMONY (& Karma Kitchen Marrakech) follows directly in that tradition.
HARMONY's EXPERIMENT IN GENEROSITY - KARMA KITCHEN SUNDAY
— One Sunday per Month
Following the model of Karma Kitchen Berkeley, Harmony will introduce “Karma Kitchen Sunday” — initially one Sunday per month as an experiment.
How the Karma Kitchen Pay It Forward Experiment Works:
- Restaurant Rental: Karma Kitchen Berkely rents the “Taste of the Himalayas” restaurant in Berkeley, California for the day.
- What is Included: The restaurant provides:
- The Food: The restaurant supplies the food used for the meals.
- The Space: The entire physical restaurant location is provided for their use for the day.
- Operations: Once rented, the volunteers operate the restaurant in their own way, running it as an "experiment in generosity" where meals are "paid forward" by previous guests.
Meals are “paid forward” by previous guests — running the restaurant as an experiment in generosity.
Above: Taste of The Himalayas (Karma Kitchen Berkley California)
The Financial Reality:
Our Total Go Fund Me Goal: $32,500
After fees and taxes: $25,000
Timeline: Secure space and open Q2 2026
What Funds Will Be Used For:
Renting the Physical Space for the Restaurant. Construction of a bathroom, renovation and initial operating costs.
Equipment Needs:
2x gas cooktop ovens
2x air fryers & stand mixers
2x Cuisinart food processors
2x Vitamix juicers
1x espresso machine
2x small refrigerator/freezers
2x stainless steel sinks, counters & shelves
Pots, pans, plates, utensils
Furnishings, lighting, décor
90% of Harmony’s (& Karma Kitchen Marrakech) competitors offer vegetarian and vegan food as an afterthought. Fish, meat, and plant-based dishes are prepared and cooked in the same space by the same hands. Cross-contamination is rampant.
HARMONY & KARMA KITCHEN are very different:
- Separated prep and cooking areas for meats/seafood and vegetarian/vegan dishes
- Charlie Trotter & California-inspired Vegetarian / Vegan culinary philosophy — drawing on cultures that produce the world’s finest fish, meat and plant-based cuisine.
- Mosaic Fusion of Flavors — the very best of African, Asian, European, and American culture, combined with seasonal local Moroccan ingredients
- Incredible flavors, beautiful visual presentation, Zen simplicity
- Wheelchair accessible — most competitors are not
Harmony & Karma Kitchen: A place where every guest will experience delicious vegetarian and vegan courses and what it means to be treated like a beloved friend.
Gregory Kennedy's Karma Kitchen Roots
Years ago, I was invited to an Awakin Circles meditation and meal in Santa Clara, California where I had the great pleasure to meet Nipun Mehta, a co-founder of ServiceSpace and Karma Kitchen. I also learned about Nipun's other incredible initiatives—Daily Good, Karma Tube, and Awakin Calls. I volunteered at the original Karma Kitchen in Berkeley and It changed my heart and soul forever in a deeply powerful way.
Christel Coulin's Personal Story
I met Gregory through his neighbor and our mutual friend Deana from London. He introduced me to the Harmony & Karma Kitchen concepts which resonated with me deeply—it's aligned with my life path and the journey I've been on.
### Christel Coulin:
- Lived and worked in London for (20) years for Eurostar
- Moved to Marrakech in (2016) and founded an Aloe Vera Juice bar
- Founded an art gallery in the Marrakech Medina and one gallery in Gueliz
- Works with Moroccan artists in two art galleries hosting art exhibitions and events.
- Recently founded a real estate agency, Chris Immo (Immobilier) in Marrakech
- Met Gregory through his neighbor and mutual friend Deana from London
- Gregory introduced Christel to Awakin Circles, Karma Kitchen and the other inspiring Service Space projects.
Even if you cannot make a donation, we appreciate you sharing our campaign. Every share plants a seed of generosity.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
With love and gratitude,
Organizer
